JUNE
2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Whoa,
thanks to everyone who emailed me about the
tablehopper "internship/apprentice"
position. Now I need one to go through all the resumes for
me, har. I'll get back to y'all soon!

This
week is shaping up nicely: tonight I am going
to check out the Tuesday night roast pig
action at Betelnut,
and then this Wednesday June 3rd is
the tablehopper
Sicilian wine and food tasting with Alex Fox at
The Cheese School of San Francisco. James Stolich
of CookWithJames just
finalized the menu, and it's looking faboo: salumi
and braised fennel crostini to pair with
the bubbles, and then zucchini agrodolce with
ricotta and peperoncino over bruschetta and pasta
con le sarde to pair with the sit-down
wines. Plus there will be some fantastic
cheeses hand-chosen by Sara of The Cheese
School, Castelvetrano olives, and more. The
event got a nice
write-up by my writer buddy Jordan
Mackay at 7x7—ends up he's a huge fan
of COS wines as well (the Cerasuolo di Vittoria
was voted one of his 10
best wines of 2008). Cheers to that.
Looking forward to hanging out with you! You
can buy one of the last tickets here.

Other destinations on the docket: later this
week I'll be heading over to East Bay (gasp!)
to check out Pican,
and then Sunday is Edible
Pursuit #3 at Acme Chophouse, which
I will be emceeing again. Did you get your
team together? (Yup, I am bringing my little
dinner bell to call "time!")

I
also wanted to point yer eyeballs to a couple
important events in the
socialite this
week: one is the annual CUESA springtime
breakfast this Saturday, and the other
is the upcoming SummerTini event for
the CHEFS program, which is very near and dear
to my heart. Both events help support two amazing
organizations—please consider attending!

Lastly,
after an entire weekend shut in writing restaurant
recaps for my book manuscript, writing my
SFCVB column, writing my ongoing Edible San
Francisco column, and putting together a
relatively chunky column this week, let's
just I really don't have much juice for a
full-blown review this week. Sorry, this
month is kicking my butt, and will continue
to do so with my looming book deadline. Too.
Much. Writing. To. Do. (Trust me, I thought
about going dark for June, but that wouldn't
be very fun now, would it?)

MAY 12,
2009 | SAN FRANCISCO ~E
& O TRADING COMPANY~ suffered a (contained) fire on Thursday
night in a duct above the grill. No one in the restaurant even noticed anything
was wrong until a building neighbor noticed the fire and the sprinklers came
on, so it wasn't some big dramatic scene or anything. But it was a full house
when guests were asked to get up and leave. The fire damage will have the restaurant
closed for a couple weeks—work has already started on repairing the ventilation
ducts. Meanwhile, chef Arnold Wong and his chef de cuisine Sharon Nam are at
the Larkspur location, rolling out the new menu. 314 Sutter St. at Grant, 415-693-0303.

I got a bunch more details about ~SIGHTGLASS
COFFEE~, the upcoming coffee roastery opening in
SoMa from brothers Jerad and Justin Morrison. As I mentioned
last week, the brothers have ten years of experience, which includes
roasting at Blue Bottle for two years and opening Four Barrel.
The airy 4,000-square-foot space dates back to 1924, and has
a 25-foot rustic cathedral ceiling (it used to house the Universal
Sign Co.). It will be set up a bit differently than most coffee
roaster-shop-cafés: instead of having the roaster action in the
back or hidden away, here the process will be completely exposed
and transparent, positioned up front and center. You'll be able
to hang out and watch before heading to the back bar for your
fix, which will be accessible from 360 degrees. There will be
a Chemex brewing
station, a chemist-designed coffee brewing
process. The espresso menu will be pretty minimalist (mochas
are currently being debated), and there will be some unique iced
coffee offerings. Seating will be on a mezzanine with room for
60–70 people—it's also 14 feet up, offering a panoramic view
of the space. There will be a cupping table, and up to 14 kinds
of coffee for retail, both exceptional single-origin beans, and
balanced and versatile blends. Food is TBD, but there will be
something good, don't you worry. Look for an opening in late
August, and you can follow their progress on Twitter.
Can't wait to check this place out. 270 7th St at Folsom.

And don't say I didn't warn you. This could get dangerous: ~PHAT
PHILLY~ just started delivery. They will be delivering
nightly 5:30pm–10:30pm, with a $20 minimum.
While the delivery radius is small to
start (26th Street to 16th Street going from north to south,
and Harrison to Castro going from east to west), they will be
looking to grow their delivery boundaries in the next couple
months—perhaps to all of Noe Valley, the Castro, the Mission,
and possibly Potrero Hill. Alas (or thank god), no Western Addition,
or I could be in trouble. Owner Isaac Mogannam wanted to let
me know that if you live near a border of the delivery area,
give them a call, and if it's slow they'll
look into doing the delivery for ya.
You can order over the phone and download
a menu here. In the next few weeks customers will be
able to place their complete order online and choose to pick
up their food or have it delivered (you'll also be able to pay
fully online, including gratuity). Oh yeah, and here's a new
promo they're doing: Recession Sucks. Beer Doesn't! Which
means PBR (in a can) is $2 all day, every
day. Cheers. 3388 24th St. at Valencia,
415-550-7428.

Are there going to be any new restaurants? Hmmm. Maybe it's just a
future of ~STREET FOOD, CARTS, BAR FOOD, AND POP-UP RESTAURANTS~.
Most of it seems to be happening in the Mission. And they're all on
Twitter. Here's the latest cart chasing you can do:

Left Coast Smoke is a mobile BBQ unit, servin' up pulled pork
sandwiches at places like the 500 Club (Sunday afternoons), Shotwell's
(Mondays from 6pm–8pm), and Thursdays for bingo night at the Knockout
from 7:30pm–9:30pm. Follow details on their locations on Twitter.

In the mood for some rustic pies by bike basket? Then Bike Basket
Pies is your answer. Mission
Mission had the scoop (a la mode, naturalment) on
flavors: "Strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry-mango-coconut, and mixed
berry free-form rustic pies will be sold for $3." Twitter details here.
Look for 'em in Dolores Park.

More bike action: Boccalone has launched the salumi cycle,
delivering batches of panini at $8 a pop. According to the Twitter
feed, one location for a drop-off of prosciutto panini was
at Sutter and Montgomery, but looks like the location (and meats) will
be changing… (And then there's this: Boccalone prosciutto ice cream
is now available at Humphry
Slocombe).

Just for sheer punk appeal, I give extra props to Gobba
Gobba Hey for having the cleverest name (a rockin'
Ramones reference). Heck, this California girl didn't even know
what a gob was until Google had some answers (they're
frosting-filled cakes that are popular in Philly, and are like whoopie
pies). They look freaking delicious. According to the
website, flavors include lemon and thyme, black cherry, and pistachio
orange, and coming later this week, there will be carrot cake
and orange cardamom gobs. Follow
their tweets for the where. And buy one for me while
you're at it, thanks.

Are
you fat enough yet? You can take one day off from all the underground
grubbin', because Ryan and Katharine at Broken
Record are going to be closing the kitchen every Sunday—I
am quite sure they could use the sleep.

So while we don't quite have LA's Kogi
taco truck serving up Korean-Mexican mash-ups like kimchi
burritos and the like, there are a couple places in the Financial
District that are in on the act: first
out of the gates was ~JOHN'S
SNACK &
DELI~. The popular kimchi burritos (filled with
bulgogi beef or pork, kimchi, kimchi-fried rice, salsa, onions, lettuce,
and hot sauce) are $5.95, and the tacos are $2.95. Oh yeah, and there's
a kimchi kalbi beef soft taco ($4.25) that comes with kalbi (short
rib) beef, sautéed kimchi, lettuce, salsa, onions, and cilantro.
There are other daily Korean specialties as well, like soon doobu.
40 Battery St. at Pine, 415-434-4634.

A tablehopper reader wrote in to let me know ~GOLDEN
GATE PERK INTERNET CAFé~ is also feeling the Korean-Mexican
fever, and just started offering kimchi burritos with your choice
of short ribs, spicy pork, or chicken
($6.50) and Korean tacos ($3). The burrito features meat, rice,
cilantro-corn salsa, kimchi slaw, shredded romaine lettuce, sour
cream, and a tangy citrus vinaigrette. Oh yes, and the kimchidilla ($5)—two types
of cheese with kimchi, and the option of adding chicken. (If
the kimchidilla isn't the apotheosis of stoner food, I don't
know what is.) I gotta say, sign me up. 401 Bush St. at Kearny,
415-362-3929.

So we already know about the long long lines at Bi-Rite Creamery,
and Three
Twins Ice Cream is up and running in the Haight… And now we
have renegade ~FLASH FREEZE~ sorbets and ice creams served
out of Urban Bread (the ice cream maker, Flash, lives just down the
street). Sorbet flavors include blackberry sage, pear cardamom, and
pineapple thyme, and the ice creams are currently chocolate clove and
salty dulce de leche. And how handy, Urban Bread is just on the other
side of Dolores Park. Now we just need some sun, okay? Jeez. 3901 18th
St. at Sanchez, 415-552-8378.

Oh yeah, and it seems ~MICHAEL
RECCHIUTI~ is also making small batches of ice
cream with a spiffy Italian machine, and is featuring the
experimental flavors at a few places around town. If you go to Piccino,
you'll find the debut of his current flavor: burnt caramel. Yeah,
the guy knows a thing or two about caramel. (Funny how I never,
ever get tired of his fleur de sel caramels.)

All this street food madness will be culminating in a ~STREET FOOD
FESTIVAL~ (presented by La
Cocina) on Saturday August 22nd. It's part of a longer week
with Eat
Real Festival in Oakland (more on that below). La Cocina's
street food vendors (think El Huarache Loco's huaraches, Estrellita's
Snacks' pupusas, Onigilly rice balls) in 10x10 tents with two
items each, priced at about $3 and $8. There will also be four booths
for non-profit partners with the SF underground street food scene
(think Tamale Lady, bacon-wrapped hot dog folks, perhaps the crème
brûlée cart guy, etc.) and eight spots for Bay Area restaurateurs
playing by some street-food rules (like Poleng Lounge). There will
be homemade drinks at the booths, plus a spirits, beer, and wine
garden with cool bartenders. On top of all that, there will also
be street music (think roving mariachis, the bucket drum guy) and
a kids' area with Mission Pie. It will be free to get in, but
tickets for munchin' are available ahead
of time online at Brown
Paper Tickets. Website and more details coming soon. Event
updates, for now, via streetfoodsf on
Twitter. And where will it be? Check this out: Folsom Street will
be closed down from 25th to 26th Street. 11am–7pm.

Meanwhile, Oakland's ~EAT
REAL FESTIVAL~ will take place at Jack London Square
in Oakland from August 28th–30th. It's
looking like it will be the country's first celebration of street food made with
sustainably produced products. Highlights of the three-day event
include the Good to Go Market (local produce and handmade foods
straight from Bay Area farmers and purveyors), Street Eats (the
Bay Area's top street food trucks and carts selling tacos,
Vietnamese sandwiches, barbeque, hot dogs, ice cream, and more,
all featuring select sustainable and local ingredients), plus
handcrafted beers under one tent, cooking demos, an outdoor film
festival of food flicks, and more. Eat Real Festival will also
anchor a week of street-centered food events in the Bay Area,
including a week's worth of fundraising dinners for several
other Eat Real partner organizations.
For complete information about the Eat
Real Festival and about the ticketed events, please visit the site.

There has also been some excited talk about CUESA's ~UPCOMING
THURSDAY MARKET AT THE FERRY BUILDING MARKETPLACE~.
Your lunch just got really good, because
there will be sustainable street food
made with local produce, available from 10am–2pm. Confirmed sellers
include Pizza Politana, 4505 Meats, RoliRoti (Thomas is developing
a special beef sandwich just for this market), Laiola, Cap'n Mike's
Holy Smoke SF-style lox sandwiches, Scream sorbet, Blue Bottle
Coffee, Dirty Girl Produce, Tory Farms, Swanton Berry Farm, and
Lucero Organic. Stand by for news about a few more farmers and
a bakery! It all kicks off July 2nd. Ferry Building Marketplace.

Crime doesn't pay. After people started closing in on the ~MR.
PICKLE SNATCHER~ (a pic of the condiment-packin' pickle in someone's
house showed up on flickr), he
has been returned!! Safe and sound, but now sportin' a jaunty
red bandana (not sure about that color, hope it doesn't get him shot).

And now, some brick-and-mortar location updates:

Over in the Mission, ~STABLE
CAFE~ now has a beer and wine license, which means
they are open later into the evening and are offering a happy
hour and tapas. Evening hours are Thu–Sat, with a happy hour
from 4pm–8pm (the menu includes $4 beer, wine, sangria, and tapas
plates). Hours will be extended in the future. They just kicked
things off last Friday. 2128 Folsom St. at 17th St., 415-552-1199.

~HORATIUS~,
the upcoming bistro and market in Potrero Hill,
is slated to open on June 17th. The bistro
menu will include soups, salads, and sandwiches, as well as a rotating
selection of daily specials. The menu will be ever-changing, featuring
cuisines and products from countries all over the world. For example,
Portugal month would feature Portuguese wine, olive oil, tuna, cheese,
and more. Horatius will just be open for lunch in the beginning,
and will start dinner service later on. The menu will also be seasonal,
and will use local, sustainable, and organic resources when available—pricing
will attempt to balance the cost of artisanal ingredients and the
current economic climate. It's small: there will be seven tables
inside the bistro with additional sidewalk seating for a total of
about 30 seats. Guests order at the counter, and there will also
be pre-packaged foods under the Horatius name that are prepared on-site.
Bistro hours: Mon–Sat 7am–3pm, and lunch entrées start at 11am. 350
Kansas St. at 16th St., 415-252-3500.

Meal deals for you…

~INCANTO~ has
launched a cucina povera menu for
every Sunday and Monday from now through
August 31st. Three courses for $30 (or $39
with two wine pairings). It will change each
week, featuring a different region for both
the food and wines. 1550 Church St. at Duncan,
415-641-4500.

I have been meaning to check the ~ZINNIA~ burger
out for some time, and now there is no excuse since
they just launched a Burger & Brew special
on Tuesdays through Thursdays at the bar. For $15, you
get the grilled chuck and chorizo burger served on a
Dutch crunch roll with Kennebec fries paired with a
bottle of local beer. Snarf snarf. Beer selections may
include Racer Indian Pale Ale from Healdsburg, Scrimshaw
Pilsner from Fort Bragg, and Anchor Liberty from Oakland.
Dinner is served! 500 Jackson St. at Montgomery, 415-956-7300.

More burgers: CUESA (The
Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture)
is hosting their ~SECOND ANNUAL GRILL FEST: BURGER
CHALLENGE~. Four local chefs will be battling it
out on the grills: Mark Sullivan of Spruce; Andrew Swallow
of Mixt Greens; Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf; and
Elizabeth Falkner of Orson. Chefs will be provided with
all-natural grass-fed beef from Marin Sun Farms, and
each will be creating a surprise side dish with ingredients
they will individually source from the farmers' market
the day of the event. Want to be a judge? There's
one lucky guest spot that will be drawn by either signing
up at the CUESA kitchen, or by email to sarah [at] cuesa
[dot] org. A limited amount of mini-burgers will be
available for audience members to enjoy for a $2 donation,
all proceeds going to CUESA. Saturday June 27th, 11am–12:30pm.
This event is first-come, first-served. Seating for
30 is available along with room to stand. South Driveway
of the Ferry Building (adjacent to Prather, Blue Bottle,
Fatted Calf).

Time for The Puerco Report:

There are a few slots available at ~RYAN FARR OF 4505
MEATS'S~ second round of sausage-making
classes. You will make a chicken-beer sausage,
chili and fennel pork sausage, and spicy
chorizo. Each class is $70 and you will get to
take home between five and six pounds of sausage
you'll make (that's a lot of sausage). There will
be chicharrones, drinks, 4505 hot dogs, and of
course sausage for all to snack on at the end.
There are two classes on June 7th: 10am–1pm, and
2pm–5pm. More deets and you can RSVP
here.

Here's
more on ~COCHON
555 SAN FRANCISCO~, the pig-tastic
event on June 14th. The final line-up
of chefs is Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats; Nate
Appleman, A16/SPQR; Staffan Terje, Perbacco;
Ravi Kapur, Boulevard; and Peter McNee,
Poggio Trattoria. Each chef will each prepare
a 100-pound heritage breed hog from head to toe
for this friendly competition. Guests and professional
judges will determine a winner based
on presentation, utilization, and overall best
flavor, and the winner will be crowned the "Prince
of Porc." In addition, five selected winemakers
will showcase their wines (Krupp Brothers, Hirsch
Vineyards, Elk Cove Winery, Arcadian Winery, and
K Vintners/Charles Smith's
Wines). Each 100-pound pig can be pre-cooked,
braised, grilled, pressed, pickled, rubbed,
smoked, seared, sauced, spiced, injected,
marinated, cured in any way, or otherwise
prepared. Guests at the event will experience
the chef creations during a 2.5-hour stand-up
reception. Chef stations will alternate with winemaker
tables. And hello, you don't want to
arrive late for this event. The party starts at
5pm: Taylor Boetticher of Fatted Calf will break
down a pig and do a porchetta demo. In addition
to the chef stations, there will also be heritage
beans from Rancho Gordo, dessert by Magnolia,
and pig-infused truffles. And there will be an
after-party at a location to be determined. Tickets
are $145 per person. And I also have a sweet discount
for you: tablehopper
readers are allowed to use the industry
discount code of "baconbits" for $30 off.
RSVP required.

The VIP experience starts at 3:30pm, with a reserve
wine tasting by five winemakers including Ghost Horse
World, Chase Cellars, and more TBA, plus an artisan
cheese reception. There will also be Domaine de Canton
cocktails, pre-pig party snacks, beers from Magnolia,
and guests can "meat and greet" with the chefs, winemakers,
and judges of COCHON555. (This portion is $200). The
Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason St. at California.

~LA CICCIA~ is
preparing for their four-course suckling pig dinner on June 22nd. $75 per person
for food and wine. 7pm. 291 30th St. at Church, 415-550-8114.

Michael
Recchiuti has started an awesome series
of events: ~THE TASTE PROJECT~. It's a
multi-sensory tasting series that will feature
unusual and unique sweet and savory chocolate
pairings, hands-on cooking classes, and special
culinary events. Tastings will include "Chocolate
and Olive Oil" with Fran Gage, olive oil expert
and cookbook author; "Spirits and Chocolate" with
Lance Winters of St. George Spirits; "Beer and
Chocolate" with Magnolia; and "Fungi and Chocolate"
with Far West Fungi. A complete listing of classes
including dates, locations, and class fees can
be found online at recchiuti.com under
Tasting Events. The series runs through September
19th. Most classes are $55 in advance.

Up in Larkspur, ~THE
TAVERN AT LARK CREEK~ is opening this
Thursday June 4th. I got to peek at the
cocktail menu, and it includes some classics,
like a Hemingway daiquiri, a pisco sour,
and an aviation, all $9–$10. As for the
menu, nothing will be over $15, and it includes
a variety of bar bites (ratatouille hard-boiled
egg, chicken liver mousse). On the regular menu,
there is a cold lettuce soup with Parmesan broth-poached
shrimp; Devil's Gulch Ranch rabbit terrine
with a petite Waldorf salad and grilled
bread; four salads; pastas like spaghetti with
Monterey sardines, garlic, red chili
flakes, and bread crumbs; roasted pork loin panino
with tomato-bacon jam and frisée; rainbow trout
with shaved asparagus and hazelnut sauce gribiche;
some vegetarian options; and naturally, a Tavern
burger (plus a veggie burger). 234 Magnolia Ave.,
Larkspur, 415-924-7766.

Over in the East Bay, here's an update on a couple
beverage-oriented projects. Opening June 11th will be ~PENELOPE~,
a lunch spot and bar in the business district
of downtown Oakland. The space will have room for 25
inside, and 20 outside. Happy hour will be the first
thing to start, at 4pm. There will be a rotating menu
of hearty gastropub-influenced dishes available, like
meatballs, mac and cheese made with local cheeses, and
beer-braised short ribs. Since there's a full bar, there
will be five–six specialty cocktails made with fresh
ingredients ($7–$10). The bar will be well stocked,
with a focus on Tequila. There will also be some beer
from Linden
Street Brewery, and California wines. The modern
look will be natural-organic, with green materials; Lauren
Geremia, who designed Taverna Aventine, Umami,
and other spaces, is behind the design of this project,
her first in the East Bay. The owner is Tung Tran, who
was inspired to name the place after Penelope Cruz.
(Let's hope she visits.) Lunch will launch a couple
weeks later, with gourmet sandwiches and salads. Lunch
hours will be 11am–2pm, and then 4pm until 10pm–11pm
or so. 555 12th St. at Clay, Oakland, 510-529-5393.

I had a chance to speak with Alfonso Dominguez of Tamarindo,
La Calle Asadero Mexicano, and FiveTenStudio to
discuss ~ERA~, an upcoming gallery and bar project
he is doing with Kevin Best of B Restaurant and Bar,
and Gairy Jacques of Air. The 4,500-square-foot art
bar will have two floors and two bars—downstairs will
offer more of a gallery vibe while upstairs will be
lounge-ier. There will be a full bar, plus some charcuterie
available. Art will rotate every month or month and
a half or so. The project is a couple months out. Hours
will be 5pm–2am. 19 Grand Ave. at Broadway, Oakland.

And for you 510 folks, ~BERKELEY
BOWL WEST~ is due to open this Thursday
at 9am. It looks pretty slick. 922 Heinz St. at
Eighth St., Berkeley, (no phone yet).

Got
a hot tip? You know I'd love
it (and you). Just reply to this email

Come "Meet
Your Maker" (of sustainably-produced, terroir-driven wines,
that is) at the 6th annual Golden
Glass Wine Event on June 21st at Fort Mason. Featuring
over 100 international and local wine producers, the 2009 Golden
Glass is a celebration of the best "good, clean, fair" wines
from around the globe. Also on hand will be winners from the
first Golden Glass Wine Competition, selected by a group of top
world wine experts.

JUNE 2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Gotta
love free: there are complimentary wine tastings on
Fridays at ~SPUNTINO~!
Every Friday afternoon you'll be able to explore a different
region, varietal, or producer at a casual, drop-in tasting.
This Friday June 5th will feature the whites of Friuli,
and next week (Friday June 12th) will be "Around the
World with Sauvignon Blanc." All wines featured during
the tastings are 10% off. 4pm–6pm. 1957 Union St. at
Octavia, 415-931-6410.

Get
your tickets: on Monday June 8th, Duggan McDonnell
will be leading a ~PISCO CLASS AT CANTINA~, so you
can learn the history of pisco and delve into its complex
flavors while dining on the South American food of
Guisell Osorios Sabores del Sur. Think empanadas and
pisco punch. Causa and your creation. Guests will step
behind the bar and live their bartender dreams to the
fullest. And you can learn why his nickname is Shotzi.
Tickets are $80, purchase them here.
580 Sutter St. at Mason.

On Sunday June 14th is the ~TAPAS~ (Tempranillo
Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society) tasting, the
most extensive annual tasting of domestically produced
Spanish and Portuguese varietal wines in North America.
From 10:30am–noon there will be a trade seminar (including
a guided tasting and featured speaker Randall Grahm of
Bonny Doon Vineyard), and noon–1:30pm is a trade walk-around
tasting, complimentary to members of the wine trade.
Consumers can taste from 2pm–4:30pm (there will be over
30 participating wineries), and there will also be some
food provided. Tickets for the consumer tasting are $35
in advance, available online at tapas2009.eventbrite.com or
$45 at the door. Fort Mason Center.

~CORTEZ
RESTAURANT AND BAR~ is offering a $10
bar bite and cocktail menu from 5pm–7pm nightly.
You can choose a cocktail and an item from the
new Bar Bite menu for just ten bucks. They have
also started "Tipsy Tuesdays," where you can order
any bottle of wine at 50% off. 550 Geary St. at
Jones, 415-292-6360.

~THE
TYLER FLORENCE SHOP~ in Mill Valley
has started a bi-monthly author event program,
and next Thursday June 11th Doug "Bix" Biederbeck
will be in for his new book, BIXOLOGY.
Doug will be having a conversation with Tyler about
the book, signing books, and demonstrating the
"perfect" martini and bloody Mary a la Bix. RSVPs
are requested at 415-380-9200 or email at rsvp
[at] tylerflorence [dot] com.
6pm–8pm. 59 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley.

(Oh, and this isn't lush news, but if you're a big TyFlo fan,
he'll be a celeb guest and is donating a private dinner
for 12 to be auctioned off at the ~ONE BIG TABLE SUMMER
DINNER~ on June 10th at the Hotel Kabuki to benefit
the Food Bank. Here's the link
and details.)

JUNE 2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO This Saturday is ~CUESA'S
ANNUAL SPRING BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER~.
This springtime breakfast will be prepared
by Hayes Street Grill and CUESA's market chef. Farmers and
food artisans will be at the table to share
stories about the food they grow and make.

JUNE 2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO ~SUMMERTINI~ is just a couple of weeks away! SummerTini is
the fifth annual benefit for CHEFS
(Conquering Homelessness through Employment in Food Service).
The CHEFS program is part of Episcopal Community Services, and provides
culinary training and employment placement for homeless adults in San
Francisco. More than 80 percent of CHEFS graduates find work in restaurants,
hotels, and nursing homes.

Make this your Friday night happy hour and help fight homelessness
in our city with one of the most effective programs I've ever seen.
Eric Tucker, executive chef of Millennium restaurant and a driving
force behind SummerTini, sees the benefit of the program firsthand.
"The CHEFS program provides a great service to the community. It transforms
lives! As an instructor who has worked with the students, I can vouch
for the program's offering tangible job skills in the food service
industry, as well as giving the students hope and confidence in themselves."

JUNE
2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO It's time for the annual San Francisco magazine hootenanny:
this will be the ninth annual ~BEST OF THE
BAY AREA PARTY~, and it's in a new venue! Join San Francisco
magazine as they toast the best people, places, and
things that make the Bay Area the best place to live,
work, and play. Enjoy free-flowing bars, tables of
hors d'oeuvres plus entertainment, and dancing all
night—there also seems to be a lot of flirting that
goes on (hey, you get 1,600 people together and something
is bound to happen).

There
will be more than 40 restaurants, including Waterbar,
Fifth Floor, La Folie, and Kara's Cupcakes; free
flowing bars with signature cocktails, Trumer Pils
beer, and the Sonoma Valley Grapes & Wine
lounge.

There is a special tablehopper discount code (see
side column), valid from June 2nd–16th. BUY EARLY!
Tickets sell out days before the event, and the event
has room for 500 fewer guests this year. Your tickets
must be purchased before June 16th to get this discount
and are based on availability.

The
event helps support one of San Francisco's most respected
nonprofit organizations, Family House. Buy raffle
tickets for $10 each or three for $20. Enter the
raffle to win one of three great getaways. Or make
a donation: $65 provides care and comfort for a family
for one week. Buy raffle tickets or donate now at sanfranmag.com.

Produced by Dominic Phillips Event Marketing.

JUNE 2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO This week I have three copies of Fran
Gage's latest book to give away to three
lucky tablehopper readers, The
New American Olive Oil. All
you need to do is forward this week's tablehopper
newsletter to one buddy, but even more would be
so very fabulous. Just tell your friend(s) why
they would dig a subscription to the tablehopper
e-column (if you call it a blog, you are disqualified,
I am so not kidding!), or point out an event or
happening from my column that you think your friend
would like. Simply CC or BCC luckyme [at] tablehopper
[dot] com so I know you sent it—I promise I won't
use anyone's email address.

Deadline
to enter is midnight Sunday June 7th—I'll
notify the winners next week.

You
should also know Fran will be doing an extra-virgin
olive oil tasting and book signing at Book Passage
in Corte Madera this Saturday June 6th, plus an event
at The Tyler Florence Shop in Mill Valley on June
25th. You can learn more about her upcoming events
and book signings here.

JUNE 2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Robert Redford had lunch yesterday at Spruce—he dined with
two others and enjoyed a panino from the café. It was overheard that
he would like to come back for dinner. We shall see…

A Dogpatch reader writes in: "Filmmaker John Waters (and
his VERY tiny moustache) were dining at Serpentine [last] Friday
night... He takes that moustache everywhere."

And not too far away, Ricki Lake was at Orson for a party.

Jane Lynch (Best in Show, The 40-Year-Old Virgin)
had Sunday brunch at Zuni, and she was seen
having lunch on Monday at Calzone's in North Beach.

Goldie Hawn was spotted at Citizen Cake.

JUNE
2, 2009 | SAN FRANCISCO Andrew
Freeman & Co.,
a small full service boutique agency specializing
in hospitality and restaurants, is currently looking
to hire a Public Relations Account Manager. AFCO
is looking for upbeat, motivated, self-starters,
with mid-high level experience in public relations,
preferably with a hospitality background, that
have the ability to manage multiple accounts. The
position offered is freelance to permanent, depending
on performance. To apply, please send a cover letter
and resume to Michelle [at] andrewfreemanandco
[dot] com.